There were some really notable performances at the IWA/CPSI National Championships in Santry last weekend. Irish athletes Niamh McCarthy and Deirdre Mongan both threw huge personal bests to set brand new Irish records in the F41 Discus, and F53 Shot respectively.
Twenty one year old McCarthy from Cork threw a massive best of 24.03metres to break the Irish national record and secure an A standard for the 2015 World Championships in Doha as well as the A standard for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in the process.
Her Irish team mate Deirdre Mongan also had a day to remember setting a new Irish record in the F53 Shot Put of 4.26m, which also secures an A standard for Doha 2015. Mongan is coached by National Throws Coach Dave Sweeney, who is also assisting John McCarthy with Niamh’s programme.
Both athletes have seen themselves climb the world rankings with these stand out performances. McCarthy is now ranked third in the world in her event, with Mongan lying second in the most recently published rankings.
Also of note was a new personal best time from emerging athlete Paul Keoghan of Cushinstown AC. The Trinity College student ran 12.40sec in the T37 100m and will now look to the CPISRA World Games in August where he will be internationally classified for competition.
The next major competition on the busy summer calendar for the leading Irish para athletes is the Morton Games in Santry on July 24th.
